Page 20 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

I don’t know why that hits me so hard or why I even care, but I do.

He’s proud of me.

He’s proud of me.

He’s proud of me.

“I’m here for you. Whenever you need me, you can find me.”

CHAPTER 6

My mind is constantly on Kieran and what he said. Everything he said. It’s playing in my mind on repeat, trying to figure out the meaning behind all of it… If there was meaning.

Am I looking at it too much? Probably, but I can’t stop myself. He is a mystery and I have a pull toward him. Every time I think about him, my heart flutters and my hands get sweaty with anticipation, wondering if I’ll ever see him again.

I have to, right?

Kieran said he would be there if I needed anything, but what can he do? Did he have ulterior motives?

Sighing, I rub the clothes against the washboard and try to stop thinking about Keiran. But it’s hard when my whole body vibrates at the thought of him. I feel like I’ve known him my whole life even though I met him for the first time last night.

“Are you okay, Addie?” my mother asks as she rinses some of the clothes.

“Hmm?” I stop and look at her. “What did you say?”

“Are you okay? You’ve been so quiet and slower at your chores,” she points out.

“Sorry.” I start to rub the clothes again. “I’ve just been thinking about a lot. So much on my mind.”

“Thinking about what?” She goes back to rinsing out the clothes I just washed.

Do I tell her that I met a Fae man who makes me feel things I haven’t felt before? That he makes my heart flutter? Makes me feel special? Should I tell her I loved the feeling of his hands on me? How I feel a pull toward him, one I can’t explain but know it’s there?

I shake my head. I can’t. Not when I don’t know whether Kieran is playing me or not. I can’t risk her telling one of the guards and Kieran getting killed before I can ask any questions… if I go and see him again. I’m still trying to figure out if it’s smart for me to do that.

“About the winter and what we’re going to do. I need to make a trip to Hellhollow for supplies before winter hits. Once the snow comes, I won’t be able walk there, even though it’s the next town,” I explain. “I’ve also been thinking about everything that needs to be done before the first snow and how we can get all of it done and maybe even more. If I can get ahead, when the baby comes, I can help take care of you two.”

I know my dad is going to be around, but I am also aware that he is going to have to go back out in the woods at some point during the winter to hunt. It’s his job after all, and he can’t just take off weeks on end, even in the winter.

All of it is true, but I haven’t given it that much thought. It’s been in the back of my mind, but my thoughts have been occupied by Kieran and his mesmerizing eyes and the mysterious aura around him. He’s everything I shouldn’t want, and yet I’ve found myself yearning for more of him.

“Everything is going to work out. I promise, Addie,” my mother gently says. “You don’t need to kill yourself over all of this. If some things don’t get done, then we’ll find time to complete them. Even if it’s after the baby comes.”

Guilt eats me as the lie settles in. She believes me. She actually believes my lie. But it is better this way. I don’t want her worrying about anything related to Kieran.

“I know it will be, but I can’t help it. You know that, Mother.” I hand her another piece of clothing. “It’s hard for me. I don’t want you to stress about anything.”

My mother stops what she’s doing and places her hand on top of mine. “I know you don’t, but I’ve been through this twice now. Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”

I sigh and nod. I so badly want to sit her down and tell her everything. I want to tell someone about it—anyone—but I don’t have anyone to tell. Skylar hates Fae, so she’s out of the question, and so does my sister, not that I talk to her much at all. She’s off in the castle, doing who knows what for the king.

“I’ll need you the next two weeks as we prepare for the big market. We’ll be selling spices and clothing at this one,” my mother says. “Last time we sold out, and people still came by asking if we had anything. We have the same amount of inventory as we did last time, so I want to make more.”

I calculate what date that will put us at and hold my breath. This big market is always just before the first snow of the year so people from other towns can come to ours and purchase items and still make it back to theirs in time. I wouldn’t be able to go to the Hellhollow, since it takes a whole day to get there and back.

Mateo, who lives in the castle, can predict when the first snow will fall, and he is always right. I met him briefly when he was just a kid and before his powers came to be known. Once they realized he could predict the weather, they dragged him to the palace, and no one has ever seen him again.

Will I have enough time to get to the town and back?